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J. P. CAPEZZUTO March 31, 1964 DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed vJuly L 1969 FIG. I

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,127,010 DISPLAY PACKAGE ll'ohn P. Capezzuto, Cambridge, Mass., assigner to The Cartel-s Ink Company, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 7, 1960, Ser. No. 41,316 4 Claims. (Cl. 20c-45.2)

This invention relates to display packages and more particularly comprises a novel combination display card and reusable desk stand for writing instruments and the like.

Presently known packages, particularly those featuring a transparent plastic blister bonded to a card to enclose and display merchandise, normally are destroyed by opening. This is primarily because the marginal edges of the blister are fully sealed to the card. While destruction of the package is of no particular significance in the case of packages for goods intended for immediate consumption, it would be desirable in the case of packages for goods of a more or less permanent nature that the package be reusable, after opening, to serve as a storage container for the goods.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sealed blister and card-type package that is not destroyed by being opened.

Another object of this invention is to provide a blister and card-type package that is re-usable as a storage and dispensing stand for the merchandise.

Yet, another object of this invention is to provide a combination display package and desk stand for writing instruments and the like.

More particularly, the invention features a display package for articles, such as writing instruments, in which the package comprises a flat card having bonded thereto, a transparent blister adapted to be separated from a portion thereof Without destruction of either the card or the blister. This portion of the card may then be folded back upon itself in such a manner as to form a leg for the card so that it may be set in an upright position with free access to the packaged items.

These and other novel features of the invention along with further objects and advantages thereof will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a backing card made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l but showing the transparent blister,

FIG. 3 is a view in front elevation showing the assembled package,

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation of the package shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the package serving as a desk stand,

FIG. 6 is a View in front elevation showing the reclosed package,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 7 7 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-3 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 9 is a View similar to FIG. 8 but showing the card and blister in a detached condition.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. l a generally flat rectangular card 10 of relatively stiff paper board or the like. The card is formed with a pair of horizontal fold lines 12 and 14 formed by scoring the face of the card. A pair of diagonal slits 16 and 155 are cut in the uppermost section and serve to accommodate the corners of a transparent blister 20 after the package has once been opened, as will be explained more fully during the course of the description.

A third slit 22 is cut horizontally through the lower most section of the card It) and is adapted to receive a tongue or tab 24, formed at the top of the card, when the card is folded into the position of FIG. 5.

Preferably, small circular holes 23 should be cut at both ends of the slit 22 to prevent tearing of the surrounding portion of the card when the tongue 24 is inserted. An elongated opening Z5 is made near the top of the card so that it may be suspended from a hook for display or storage purposes.

A plurality of circular dies 26 are scored on the face of the card by partial cuts through the card, and are arranged to register with a marginal flange 28 of the blister 20 when assembled.

In practice, it is intended that the blister 20 be attached to the face of the card It) by heat-sealing selected portions of the ange 28 to the card. The lower portions of the blister will be bonded to the card in the area indicated by the reference character 36 in FIG. l, whereas the upper portion of the blister will be bonded to the card only by spot sealing within each die 26.

When the blister and card are thus assembled, a tightly sealed package is presented, yet the package may be opened without destroying either piece. As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the package is opened by pulling the card and blister away from one another with suillcient force to detach the scored dies 26 from the card. The dies 26 will come away cleanly from the card without stripping or otherwise defacing the card surface. It will be appreciated that if the flanges 28 were bonded to the card throughout its entire margin, either the card or the blister, or both would have to be substantially destroyed to open the package. The dies remain on the blister flange, since they are firmly bonded thereto and are replaced in their respective sockets 32 when the package is closed by bringing the two pieces together and slipping the upper two corners of the blister into their respective diagonal slits 16 and 13, as indicated by FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the package is shown in use as a desk stand. This conversion is made by folding the card back upon itself along the fold lines 12 and 14 and inserting the tongue 2li through the slit Z2 so that the folded card forms a supporting leg for the package. In this fashion, the packaged items, such as the writing instruments 34 illustrated, are readily accessible and may be withdrawn or replaced as desired. By withdrawing the tongue 24 from the slit 22, the card 10 may be flattened out and secured to the blister by slipping the corners of flange 2S into the diagonal slits, as previously indicated.

The transparent blister 20 may be made of any suitable material, such as cellulose acetate or polystyrene and contoured by any convenient shaping process. The blister should be somewhat exible and capable of being heatsealed to the card. Conversely, the card and any coloring present should be compatible with the sealing process. Obviously, other methods, such as cementing or the like, may be used to bond the blister to the card. Whatever process is used, it is important that the bonding only be made between the flange and the card within the dies 26 and the area indicated by the reference character 30. Should a spot bond be made outside of the die, it would be diicult to open the package and either the face of the card would be substantially defaced by stripping or the blister would be torn.

When packaging several Writing instruments, such as those illustrated, it is preferable to form the blister so that it will conform somewhat to the shape of the enclosed articles. As best shown by FIGS. 2, 4 and 7, the blister has three semi-cylindrical sections 36 forming separate chambers for each of the three instruments 34. The number of cylindrical sections may, of course, be varied according to the number of items to be packaged. Also,

D the particular configuration may be altered to conform to particular articles. It will be noted in this instance that the upper portion of each cylindrical section is tapered somewhat towards the card to facilitate withdrawal and insertion of the instruments.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it will be obvious that many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination display package and desk stand for writing instruments, comprising a generally flat card, said card being formed with a pair of parallel horizontal hinge lines dividing said card into upper, middle and lower sections, selected areas of said upper and middle sections being partially cut through to form circumscribed dies, a blister for enclosing said instruments, the lower marginal portion of said blister being completely bonded to the lower section of said card and the upper marginal portion being bonded only within surface areas of said card enclosed within said dies, whereby pulling of said card away from said blister causes said dies to become detached from said card and said package to be opened, but does not tear the remaining surface areas of said upper and middle sections, and means to secure the top of said card to the base of said card when said upper and middle sections are folded back upon themselves to form a support for said package.

2. A combination display package and re-usable container for writing instruments and the like, comprising a generally flat card having one or more horizontal fold lines formed therein, an upper surface portion of said card being scored to form at least one circumscribed die, a blister mounted on said card and adapted to enclose said instruments, said blister having its lower portion bonded to the lower portion of said card and its upper portion bonded only to a surface area of said card enclosed within said die, whereby the upper portions of said card and said blister may be separated by tearing out surface areas of said card enclosed within said dies without tearing the remaining surface areas of said card, to provide access to said instruments, and a pair of diagonal slits formed in the upper portion of said card and adapted to receive upper marginal corners of said blister when said blister and said card are reassembled.

3. A reusable package for displaying and storing articles, comprising a generally at card having fully circumscribed dies defined by scores cut only partially through said card, a blister having a marginal portion adhesively secured to said card only within surface areas of said dies, whereby said marginal portion may be separated from said card by separating said dies without tearing surface portions of said card adjacent to said dies, and means adapted to engage said marginal portion and hold said blister in reassembly with said card.

4. A combination display package and reusable desk stand for writing implements, comprising a generally flat card provided with at least one horizontal fold line, surface portions of said card above said fold line having fully circumscribed dies delined by scores cut only partially through said card, a cover member mounted on the surface of said card and dening therewith a chamber adapted to enclose said implements, said cover having its lower marginal portions adhesively secured to said card below said fold line and its upper marginal portion adhesively secured to said card only within surface areas of said dies, whereby the portion of said card above said fold line may be separated from said cover to tear said dies from said card without tearing the remaining surface portions of said card, and folded back to open said package and convert said package into a stand by forming a support therefor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,149 Turner May 27, 1952 2,796,985 Gorton June 25, 1957 2,814,428 Magill Nov. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,044 Great Britain Mar, 26, 1903 of 1902 1,168,643 France Sept. 1, 1958 

1. A COMBINATION DISPLAY PACKAGE AND DESK STAND FOR WRITING INSTRUMENTS, COMPRISING A GENERALLY FLAT CARD, SAID CARD BEING FORMED WITH A PAIR OF PARALLEL HORIZONTAL HINGE LINES DIVIDING SAID CARD INTO UPPER, MIDDLE AND LOWER SECTIONS, SELECTED AREAS OF SAID UPPER AND MIDDLE SECTIONS BEING PARTIALLY CUT THROUGH TO FORM CIRCUMSCRIBED DIES, A BLISTER FOR ENCLOSING SAID INSTRUMENTS, THE LOWER MARGINAL PORTION OF SAID BLISTER BEING COMPLETELY BONDED TO THE LOWER SECTION OF SAID CARD AND THE UPPER MARGINAL PORTION BEING BONDED ONLY WITHIN SURFACE AREAS OF SAID CARD ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID DIES, WHEREBY PULLING OF SAID CARD AWAY FROM SAID BLISTER CAUSES SAID DIES TO BECOME DETACHED FROM SAID CARD AND SAID PACKAGE TO BE OPENED, BUT DOES NOT TEAR THE REMAINING SURFACE AREAS OF SAID UPPER AND MIDDLE SECTIONS, AND MEANS TO SECURE THE TOP OF SAID CARD TO THE BASE OF SAID CARD WHEN SAID UPPER AND MIDDLE SECTIONS ARE FOLDED BACK UPON THEMSELVES TO FORM A SUPPORT FOR SAID PACKAGE. 